Australian Parliament Computer Network Hacked – Report

In a statement, Federal Parliament presiding officers said authorities were yet to detect any evidence data had been stolen in the breach.

The computers passwords have been reset as a security precaution as the investigations continues.

“We have no evidence that this is an attempt to influence the outcome of parliamentary processes or to disrupt or influence electoral or political processes,” the parliament presiding officers said in the statement.

“Accurate attribution of a cyber incident takes time and investigations are being undertaken in conjunction with the relevant security agencies.”

The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) is working to secure the network and says action was taken as soon as the breach was detected.

“The necessary steps are being taken to mitigate the compromise and minimize any harm, “ASD said in a statement.

“If you look at what goes on in Parliament House, you have got politicians, you have got staffers, you have got government departments that are moving in and out of the organisation and a lot of that is through electronic means,” adjunct professor Nigel Phair, from the University of Canberra, said.

“The Department of Parliamentary services (DPS) responded and said,

ASD and its Australian Cyber Security Center will continue to work with DPS to understand the full extent of this network compromise. Meanwhile, the necessary steps are being taken to mitigate the compromise and prevent any harm.

“At this early stage our immediate focus is on securing the network and protecting its users. Proper and accurate attribution of a cyber incident takes time.”

The Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said no Federal Government departments or agencies had been targeted in the Cyber attack.

Earlier China was responsible for previous cyber attacks on Australian government computer systems, including a similar breach of the Federal Parliament computer network in 2011. Investigation are on going, the foreign government might be possible behind these Cyber attack.